Ever Us -- Shippo and the Beanstalk
by Gayle Nightingale
Summary: AU. Time: 1769. Place: Japan at the castle in the Western Lands. In "Ever Us—The Blessing, Keiko" Chapter 12 Shippo's kits beg Grandpa Inu for a bedtime story. Inuyasha loves making up bedtime stories. I suppose this could be chap 13 but it can stand alone. But of course I want you to read the entire series. Implied Yaoi. Implied Mpreg.


**Ever Us – Shippo and the Beanstalk**

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.

Title: "Ever Us—Shippo and the Beanstalk"

Author: Gayle Nightingale

Summary: AU. Time: 1769. Place: Japan at the castle in the Western Lands. In "Ever Us—The Blessing, Keiko" Chapter 12 Shippo's kits beg Grandpa Inu for a bedtime story. Inuyasha loves making up bedtime stories. I suppose this could be chap 13 but it can stand alone. But of course I want you to read the entire series. J Implied Yaoi. Implied Mpreg.

Word Count: -3069

Rated: not sure. It's mild but it has implied relationships. Does that make it T or M? Better safe than sorry. Don't read at work. Read first before you read to your kids.

Genre: Romance/Smut

Pairing: Inuyasha/Sesshomaru. Shippo, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Totosai, Momo, Rin by mention

_At this point in "Ever Us" Shippo had been married a lovely vixen named Tsuki for a century and they have had many kits. Some of their kits are grown and have kits of their own. Shippo and Tsuki still have six that are at home. They are visiting Grandpa Inu who loves to play with them. It's bedtime and that means it's time for a bedtime story._

**"So you guys want a bedtime story?!" Grandpa Inu called out above the din. "You're going to have to be quiet."**

**The noise decreased to a level where he could be heard without screaming.**

**"Oi, you have to be quieter than that, kits, or no story."**

**The noise died away completely. **

**One hand bounced up. The kit spoke before he was acknowledged. "What story are you going to tell us Grandpa Inu? Is it about the Shikon jewel?"**

**Another asked, "Will Daddy be in it?"**

**Still another butted in. "You gonna tell us a brand new story? Please?"**

**The shy female preteen Suyuki asked, "Will it have rabbits in the story?"**

**Yet another kit elbowed his sister and started sing. "Suyuki's got a cr-ush. Suyuki's got a cr-ush." A couple of the other young foxes joined in. Suyuki just blushed and looked to the floor.**

**"Enough teasing your sister. I have a new storybook from England. The Dutch traders brought it with them and traded it for some silk. Lay down on the floor now and I'll start reading."**

**The kits snuggled into each other and looked expectantly at their Grandpa.**

**Inuyasha had the book in his hand but had not yet opened it. He looked at the small kit pile. The innocent faces all scrubbed clean and sparkling were excited and eager. They looked like Shippo did years ago. 'I'm so blessed to have this time with my babies,' Inuyasha thought. He smiled at the kits and opened the book.**

Once upon a time, there lived a human miko and her adopted son, Shippo, who lived in a little village near a great forest that was watched over by a great inu-kami named Inuyasha.

**Inuyasha sat up and stuck out his pecs. He held his head high and beamed. His audience applauded appreciatively.**

Every day, Shippo would help his adopted mother with the chores. They were not rich but they were happy.

"I am needed at the temple and I need to plant seeds at the same time." said the miko, one spring day. "I can't be in two places at one time. Shippo I need you to sell our cow. The money may be enough to offer to the inu-kami that lives in the forest. Perhaps Inuyasha-kami can help us."

**Inuyasha changed his voice to a high girly tinkle and swished his hair back and forth. The kits started giggling and pointing to their grandpa. Inuyasha smiled at them.**

"All right, mother," said Shippo, "There are merchants in our village today. Maybe one of them will buy our cow."

So Shippo led the cow to the center of the village where the merchants met. He hadn't gone far when he met a family friend. This funny-looking, old man was riding a three eyed bull. "Good morning, Shippo."

"Good morning to you, Totosai" said Shippo. "Kagome asked me to sell our cow so we could get money to give the inu-kami."

**Inuyasha bent his knees and back and added a crackle to his voice as he imitated Totosai. The kits clapped and giggled.**

"Why would you want to do that?" asked Totosai.

"Kagome needs to be at the temple and in the fields at the same time and she thought Inuyasha-kami could help."

"I can help. You need to plant these seeds and that will take care of everything. These three magical bean seeds are so magical they'll grow overnight! By morning they'll have grown right up to the sky," promised the old man. "I'll give them to you in trade for that cow. Good deal for my old Momo." He slapped the bull's side to get the old bull's attention. Momo had been staring love struck at the old cow the entire time and was drooling.

**Inuyasha crossed his eyes and opened his mouth making a face.**

**"Look Grandpa is imitating Suyuki," teased one of her brothers.**

**"You're so mean!" Suyuki snarled.**

**"Now brats-"**

**"Sorry Grandpa."**

**"It'll be ok Suyuki. He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Just remember he'll have a crush some day and you can get even then." Then turning to the others he said, "Let's get back to the story."**

"You're not fooling me, are you?" said Shippo, "They're really magical? I don't sense any magic from them."

"I'll promise if it doesn't turn out to be true you can have your cow back."

"Well that sounds fair," said Shippo, as he handed over the cow's halter, pocketed the beans and headed back home to show Kagome.

"Back already, Shippo?" asked Kagome; "I see the cow isn't with you. How much will we have to give to Inuyasha-kami?"

Shippo smiled and reached into his pocket, "Totosai gave me three magic beans. They grow over-night and-"

"What!" cried Kagome. "Shippo! How could you let Totosai trick you? He just wanted to…-oh, never mind. I'll just go give him a piece of my mind." And Kagome stormed out of the house

Shippo looked at the beans and shrugged his shoulders. "I'll just plant them right here next to my window." Shippo waited for Kagome to come home but after a while he fell asleep.

The next morning Shippo jumped out of bed and ran to his window. He saw Kagome and Totosai staring at a big beanstalk which went up and up and up until it reached the sky.

"I'll climb it, Kagome!" the young fox cried.

"Why don't you wait for Inuyasha-kami or ride with Totosai?" Kagome asked as she craned her neck to see the top of the beanstalk.

"Momo can't fly that high," Totosai said as he scratched his head. "Besides he's busy anyway."

Kagome turned to Totosai. "About that stunt-I have a notion to give you a piece of my mind." She moved to hit Totosai with her sutras.

"I thought you already gave me a piece of your mind last evening." And Totosai started running away with Kagome chasing him.

"They'll be fighting for a while. I'll just start climbing." Shippo said to himself.

"Keh! You can climb or ride on my shoulder," came a voice from the roof. There sat a red clad dog kami with flowing white hair.

**Inuyasha stroke his white locks.**

"Jump on Kid. Let's check out this beanstalk."

Using the leaves and twisty vines like the rungs of a ladder, the inu-kami climbed until he could touch the clouds. Gently touching the cloud he realized he could pass through it so he continued to climb. His ability to see was cut down drastically and he depended on his smell. But soon all he could smell was rain so he turned to Shippo.

"Oi! Kid! Can you use fox fire?" Immediately the area around them was lit and they continued in the fox's blue light.

**Inuyasha looked up to see six small balls of foxfire. He smiled at the kits.**

At last, our two heroes reached the sky. And when they got there they found a road leading to a tall castle. Sniffing around they decided it smelled ok and walked side by side to the castle.

When they reached it a door swung open to reveal a demon slayer named Sango.

"What are you doing here, Sango?" Inuyasha-kami asked.

"Never mind, you guys need to hide now!" Sango whispered harshly. And she caught Shippo and Inuyasha-kami, and dragged them into the castle and hid them in a closet.

Thump! Thump! Thump! The whole house shook as a giant walked into the room.

"It's a Giant!" cried Sango. "What on earth did you do, Husband?" She stared at Miroku. Standing in front of her was a 30 foot monk giant.

"Hi my Love. I'm ready for my breakfast - I'm so hungry I could eat three cows. Ah, what's this I smell?

"Fee-fi-fo-fum,

I smell the blood of an Englishman,

Be he alive, or be he dead

I'll have his bones to grind my bread."

Miroku stopped and blinked. Then he shook his head as though trying to clear it of cobwebs. "Why did I say that? Why am I so big?" The monk began to panic.

Just then the inu-kami and Shippo jumped out of the closet. "What happened to him!" Inuyasha-kami pointed at his long time priest. Then standing with his hands on his hips he yelled up at the monk.

"WHAT DID YOU EAT?!"

"Totosai gave me some meal and I mixed it with water and made a small cake which I baked on a heated rock when I went out for that exorcism. Next thing I knew I was here in the castle." Miroku shrugged his shoulders.

Sango picked up the narrative. "I came looking for you and Kilala flew me up here. But now she's exhausted and can't fly us back down. I'm sure Kaede is wondering what happened to us. My poor babies!"

"It's ok," said Shippo. "Rin went to Kaede's to help her watch your kids. They are having the time of their lives."

Both the monk and Sango wiped their brows in relief. It was funny seeing the two do the same action especially since Miroku was 30 feet taller.

"I'll just have to call my brother for help," Inuyasha-kami sighed. "My magic destroys stuff. His heals stuff." And the inu-kami went outdoors and whistled long and hard.

**Inuyasha stopped and considered whistling but decided against it. The room would fill with castle guards if he did.**

While they were waiting for the kami's brother Shippo looked in all the rooms of the castle. He heard the sound of weeping. Shippo searched hard and finally opened the furthest room from the kitchen. There in a dusty corner sat the prettiest fox-harp he had ever seen.

"Save me," the vixen said. "I have been in this corner for so long. I sing to myself, but I am so lonely."

Shippo stuck out his chest. "Don't worry, pretty lady. I will save you."

"Oh my" she blushed.

Shippo grabbed the harp and dashed to the kitchen.

In the kitchen the inu-kami brothers were arguing about the best way to remedy the situation. Sesshomaru-kami was going to kill the giant and then revive him. Inuyasha-kami was concerned that when he was revived he would still be a giant.

The giant was sobbing in his hands repeating over and over that he didn't want to die.

Sango was patting his ankle as that was all the higher she could reach.

When the monk felt her hand he cried even harder. "I don't want to stay this big. I can't touch my beloved when I am this size."

The vixen started singing a haiku and playing her harp. "Great monk please don't cry. Tears will flood this kit-chen room. The inu gang could die."

Miroku stopped his tears and stared at the fox-harp. "Precious one, what's your name?"

"I was called Tsuki before this spell was placed on me."

The kami brothers turned to look at the harp. Sesshomaru-kami spoke. "Who placed this spell? What type of magic is it?"

"Miko magic"

"Kagome can fix it!" They all yelled and they started running out the door.

But Tsuki yelled, "Sango, grab the hen. She will be all alone if we leave her."

**"What hen?" the kits asked.**

**"Funny. That's what the gang said too. Did I forget to mention there was a hen in the story? Silly Grandpa." The inuhanyou smiled at his listeners. He had done that to see if they were actually paying attention. They had been. They were glued to his every word.**

So Sango grabbed the hen and Kilala and the entire group left the castle and started down the beanstalk. Inuyasha-kami led the way with Shippo safely on his shoulder. He was followed by Sango who had put Kilala and the hen in a scarf that she had wrapped her body. As the three of them descended Kilala regained some of her strength and took on her large form. She tugged Sango onto her back; the hen nestled safely in front of her and flew the rest of the way to the base of the beanstalk.

Sango arrived just in the nick of time. Kagome was just about to touch the beanstalk. "DON'T TOUCH THE BEANSTALK!" she yelled.

Kagome pulled her hand back quickly as though she had been shocked or stung. "Why is that?" She responded and then opened her eyes wide. "SANGO! Where have you been! We've been so worried!"

"How are my kids?" the mother asked first.

"Everyone is fine. They are a Kaede's," Kagome answered.

"Thank you. Now, Kagome, we need your miko magic! But wait 'til everyone climbs down first." Then she filled in her friend on what had happened so far.

Totosai, Kagome and Sango stood back and waited for the others to arrive. First Sesshomaru-kami floated down on his Ki cloud and passed the fox harp to Kagome. As soon as Kagome touched the harp she transformed back into her vixen form.

"Thank you great miko! You have returned me to my normal form." Tsuki jumped up and down and danced around the four adults.

Just as she completed one twirl around in front of the adults, Shippo leaped off of Inuyasha-kami's shoulder and joined Tsuki in her dance. They chirped gleefully and brought smiles to the on lookers.

Inuyasha-kami stuffed his hands in his sleeves and nervously walked up to the miko.

"Uh," he stuttered. You see he had a crush on the miko. "Kagome, will you please help Miroku?"

She blushed. She had a crush on Inuyasha-kami too. "Of course, Great Kami"

**"I never get tired of that praise," smirked the grandpa.**

Just then the earth started shaking and the sky darkened. Miroku was descending the beanstalk.

"OH NO!" cried Kagome. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!" And she started hitting the red clad inu-kami.

"Hey woman! It wasn't me. Hit the old man over there if you have to. It's his fault."

"Huh? Don't know what you are all talking about. Why are we standing here again?" Totosai feigned innocence.

The giant looked around for a safe place to step down. Finding a clearing he stepped carefully into the meadow and bent down to look at his friends.

"All I have to do is touch him?" Kagome queried.

"Yep."

"MIROKU! PUT YOUR HAND DOWN HERE." She yelled instructions to the giant.

Miroku dropped his hand gently to the ground and Kagome walked up to it. Turning to look at the inu-kami again for reassurance she reached out a finger to touch the massive hand.

POOF! A pink cloud surrounded them both.

SMACK! Was the next sound they heard as Kagome stormed out of the cloud and returned to the gang.

The pink cloud dissolved and wafted away, leaving a human sized monk unconscious spread eagle on his back, a hand print on his cheek and a smile on his face.

Tsuki looked at Shippo. "Wow. Glad she didn't slap me."

Snorting Shippo answered, "Don't worry my beauty. She will just smother you in mother's love instead."

And she did.

Next the miko walked to the beanstalk. Reaching out her hand she commanded the stalk to shrink and avoid damaging any of the nearby homes. She concentrated on her vision and then touched the stalk. It shrank up and withered away. By the following day there was no evidence it ever existed.

The two inu-kami helped with the crop sowing. Inuyasha-kami used his destructive power and tilled the land, albeit crookedly but still it was tilled. Sesshomaru-kami hovered over the land and threw the seed out assuring an even spread. The miko and monk added their blessings as they watered the seedlings. The crop grew well with the many spiritual powers imbued in it. The harvest was bountiful and the food made from the crop was said to heal the sick.

The hen returned to good health and began laying golden eggs which the inu gang shared with the entire village. Two hundred eight three days later the cow had a three eyed male calf. Two years after that Shippo and Tsuki mated. Kagome fawned over them. The ceremony was lovely.

The entire village prospered and they all lived happily ever after.

**Inuyasha looked up from the book and surveyed the leash. All but one kit had closed their eyes. Suyuki looked at her grandpa inu. Yawning she remarked, "I don't think that was an English story."**

**"Why do you say that, Sweetie?"**

**"You didn't tell it with an English accent." And Suyuki fell to sleep.**


End file.
